A student has been found dead outside of a residence hall at North Carolina State University as the school grapples with an apparent mental health crisis.
The tragedy discovered on Monday afternoon marks the 15th death at the school in the past calendar year, after NC State reported 14 deaths in the 2022-2023 school year. Seven of those 14 were suicides, ABC News reported in May.
"It gave me this dark feeling," NC State student Matthew Davis told WTVD. "That could be somebody I know. It could be anybody."
Mr Davis lives in the Sullivan Residence Hall, where the body was found. "I’m just a freshman, so it just makes me, like, put everything into perspective and think about everything differently and just see everything differently," he said.
After many students went away for Labor Day weekend, they were confronted with emergency vehicles and crime scene technicians from CCBI investigating the student dorm.
"I was just getting back into the rhythm of things, getting ready for school tomorrow. But then that’s when I heard. That’s when I heard. And I was really sad about that," said April Anderson, a student who also lives in Sullivan Residence Hall.
Chancellor Randy Woodson confirmed the news in a statement on the university’s website: "It’s with sadness that I write to share the news of a death in our community. The loss of any member of our Pack is tragic, and I recognize that this loss is particularly impactful for many of our on-campus residents and housing staff. There are no words I can share that will heal what many of you are feeling. Simply, I grieve with you."
The university has recently added 15 additional mental health clinicians to their team, bringing the total to 50, to try and help students being affected by mental health issues.
Engineering student Pierce Latta said the university has been great at putting more mental health resources in place
"They did a lot. They made it really clear they’re here and we have the resources we need. It’s just sad," Mr Latta said. "I have a good group of friends I’m surrounded with. My faith plays a part in that. So that’s how I stay grounded I’d say."
However, other students like Jordan Nance are not sure, saying: “It’s horrible because I feel like they didnt do as much as they probably could of, but I would know what route to take either in terms of preventing that.”
The deaths at NC State are an example of the mental health epidemic that is suffocating youths across the US.
Suicide rates in the US have increased by 8 per cent among males aged 15-24 since 2021, yet the highest overall increase in rates has been between the ages of 10-24, with a 37 per cent increase for black children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A mental health task force at NC State, made up of students and staff, was set up back in November to try and provide recommendations to the student body on culture of care, resources and policies.
The task force released a report in which they found that NC State, with over 36,000 students, has averaged eight student deaths, three by suicide, each year since 2018.
